Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED .STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

JOSEPH VAN STEENBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 103,108, dated May 16, 1870.

To whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH VAN STEEN- BERG, of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Coupling; and `I do declare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin gdrawin gs, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and being a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention, the dotted lines showing it open and ready to receive the coupling-link. Fig. 2is a section of my coupling open.

Like letters indicate like parts in each gure.

The nature of this invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and consists in constructingthe draw-head in two sections or jaws, to receive the coupling bar or link, and is closed by an arrangement of levers which at the same time dropthe coupling-pin into the draw-head and through the link.

In the drawings, A is the draw-head, in two sections or jaws, a the upper and al the lower jaw, hinged at b and open in Fig. 2. B is the main lever, with an' elbow extending beneath the lower jaw of the draw-head, and an auxiliary lever, C, attached to it at the band e, to which isfhungthe coupling-pin D. A chain, E, is attached at one end to the lever B, near the handle, and at the other end to the lever C, passing between them about the pulley d.

Gis a spring to prevent the handle of the le- 4ver B from slipping from the rack 4H, by the is dropped. K is the end of the platform of the car, to which the levers and bar J are attached.

The manner of operating this device is as follows: As the cars to be coupled approach each other the link in the draw-head of one strikes the incline of the open lower jaw of theY can be entirely operated from the platform of the car, and obviates the necessity of going between the cars and the dangers arising therefrom.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The draw-head A, constructed in two sections or jaws, a and a1,the lower one opening on a hinge, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The lever B, auxiliary lever Bl, in combination with draw-head A, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination, the draw-head A, construct-ed as described, lever B, auxiliary lever B, chain D, pulley d, spring E, rack G, and bar H, with eye h, when arranged and operat- .ing substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOSEPH VAN sTEENB'EEG.

Witnesses (l. E. MARSHALL,

GEo. O. MANCHESTER. 

